Carp invasion fear causes states to sue

[splashhopper]

Fearing an invasion of the Great Lakes by the voracious Asian carp, five states are suing the U.S. government and Chicago's water department in federal court.

 

Fisherman Ronnie Hopkins, left, and his assistant, Armondo pull a massive Asian carp from Lake Barkley, Ky. (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources/Associated Press)Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania are demanding stronger action to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

 

A lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in northern Illinois seeks an order to close Chicago shipping locks and gates that could provide a pathway to Lake Michigan for the fish.

 

The U.S. Supreme Court refused twice this year to order the locks closed.

 

The Ontario government filed a legal brief in support of the earlier suit.

 

The province's Ministry of Natural Resources fears the arrival of Asian carp in the Great Lakes will wipe out commercial and recreational fisheries in Ontario.

 

Throughout the Great Lakes the fishery is estimated to be worth $7 billion per year.

 

In June, fishermen caught a metre-long carp about 10 kilometres from Lake Michigan.

 

Environmental groups say the find leaves no doubt the fish have breached electronic barriers, built at a cost of $9 million, intended to keep them from reaching the Great Lakes.

 

State officials say the discovery has made the situation more urgent.

 

The suit also asks for an expedited study of permanently separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins.

 

The State of Illinois has argued that closing the canal, which was opened more than 100 years ago, will be damaging to the local economy.

 

An industry coalition called Unlock Our Jobs is fighting to prevent the closure saying there's no guarantee it would prevent the fish from migrating further north.

 

But letting the Asian carp loose in the Great Lakes would be even more damaging, say experts.

 

The fish can grow to more than a metre in length and weigh up to 45 kilograms, and eat up to 40 per cent of their body weight each day.

 

It was brought to North America to clean up algae at fish farms, but soon escaped into the wild.

 

The voracious eaters take away food from other fish species.

 

In some parts of the Mississippi, the Asian carp has obliterated native species.

(With files from The Associated Press)

[alexcba]

that fish is just scary.

[Guest gbfisher]

To little too late.

[splashhopper]

To little too late.

 

Yep

[aplumma]

doom and gloom, death and disaster..... aren't we tired of these stories yet? The deviation from a projected path does not always end in bad outcomes, it just means a different future occurs. The zebra mussels cleared up the water and the bass population thrived. The down side is the salmonoids suffered which one is more important? Ask the bass fisherman and he cheers...ask the salmon fisherman and it is the worst disaster in decades. The mistakes and victories of man in mixing different species have been documented with some amazing outcomes cold water fish transplants has brought Muskies in limited spring fed places to Virginia. The Florida strains of bass has allowed us to catch record sized bass that have bred with the Northern species and made them a hybrid that are being moved out West as we speak.The Peacock bass from the Amazon basin now can be caught inside of the USA it is all the fun with none of the downsides of back water vacations. Yes their is just as many examples of things going wrong but the truth of the matter in some cases is NO AMOUNT OF PREVENTATIVE WILL STOP THE CARP FROM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES.It takes one instance of someone dumping a can of minnows from the local creek out in the lakes to bypass all of the millions of dollars spent preventing the spread. Not to mention the lost jobs and wages on both sides of the Boarder. The one thing I do know is I personally don't have the solution for this issue but since no one knows what the future holds neither does anyone else. Remember fighting the good fight is an admirable thing just make sure the fight is justified.

 

Art

[Whitespinnerbait]

Asian Carp will go the way of the H1N1.....

[splashhopper]

Asian Carp will go the way of the H1N1.....

 

I am grateful for H1N1... NOW i DON;T HAVE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF every time I refuse to shake hands with people for the past few years.

[bare foot wader]

who would actually look at what's become of the Mississippi fishery and call that a welcomed outcome?....

 

I understand what you're saying about other outcomes but I look at this a little differently....this fight is absolutely justified in my books....

[corvette1]

i hope you like water sking

[aplumma]

who would actually look at what's become of the Mississippi fishery and call that a welcomed outcome?....

 

I understand what you're saying about other outcomes but I look at this a little differently....this fight is absolutely justified in my books....

 

 

Fight away when you finish give a shot at world peace both are noble neither are possible....

 

 

Art

[JohnF]

Fight away when you finish give a shot at world peace both are noble neither are possible....

 

Might as well make the best of it. So, what's a good bait for Asian carp.

 

Targeting a big game fish that's liable to jump out of the water and slap me sounds challenging.

 

JF

[aplumma]

Might as well make the best of it. So, what's a good bait for Asian carp.

 

Targeting a big game fish that's liable to jump out of the water and slap me sounds challenging.

 

JF

 

I am having the same experience here with the snakeheads.Eight years ago they were released 4 years ago they are established 1 year ago I started fishing for them and now I prefer them over the bass. I am truly sorry they were added to our waters but since we don't as a rule eat bass or snakeheads it has proven to be a most worth adversary and the fight is outstanding. The doom and gloom that was expected has not shown up and it seem to be just another glitch in the food chain for us to use as sport or food if you want to eat such an ugly fish.

 

Art

[fishinguypat]

maybe we should learn to accept the asian carp and live in a civilized fashion...?

[alexcba]

maybe we should learn to accept the asian carp and live in a civilized fashion...?

 

or we could wave the war flag and toss sticks of dynamite at them

[Mike Pike]

I know! We can create an over-seas market for them and allow commercial fishing with NO LIMITS. That way, they'll be overfished to extinction in no time.

 

Problem. Problem solved.

[BUSTER]

I know! We can create an over-seas market for them and allow commercial fishing with NO LIMITS. That way, they'll be overfished to extinction in no time.

 

Problem. Problem solved.

 

ya kind of like nipissing.........

[aplumma]

or we could wave the war flag and toss sticks of dynamite at them

 

Actually dynamite is a lot of fun to fish with just make sure your not doing it in an aluminum boat and have your feet on the floor or butt on seat it really stings.( disclaimer I may or may not have done this before in my life)

 

 

Art

[lookinforwalleye]

doom and gloom, death and disaster..... aren't we tired of these stories yet? The deviation from a projected path does not always end in bad outcomes, it just means a different future occurs. The zebra mussels cleared up the water and the bass population thrived. The down side is the salmonoids suffered which one is more important? Ask the bass fisherman and he cheers...ask the salmon fisherman and it is the worst disaster in decades. The mistakes and victories of man in mixing different species have been documented with some amazing outcomes cold water fish transplants has brought Muskies in limited spring fed places to Virginia. The Florida strains of bass has allowed us to catch record sized bass that have bred with the Northern species and made them a hybrid that are being moved out West as we speak.The Peacock bass from the Amazon basin now can be caught inside of the USA it is all the fun with none of the downsides of back water vacations. Yes their is just as many examples of things going wrong but the truth of the matter in some cases is NO AMOUNT OF PREVENTATIVE WILL STOP THE CARP FROM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES.It takes one instance of someone dumping a can of minnows from the local creek out in the lakes to bypass all of the millions of dollars spent preventing the spread. Not to mention the lost jobs and wages on both sides of the Boarder. The one thing I do know is I personally don't have the solution for this issue but since no one knows what the future holds neither does anyone else. Remember fighting the good fight is an admirable thing just make sure the fight is justified.

 

Art

 

 

Agreed but just in case I say we have the GIANT HOGWEED attack the Asian carp should be a good fight!!

[ehg]

I know! We can create an over-seas market for them and allow commercial fishing with NO LIMITS. That way, they'll be overfished to extinction in no time.

 

Problem. Problem solved.

You don't need to go overseas to market them, just commercially fish them for cat food.

Not even closely related to the common carp around here. They aren't bottom feeders.

Some resouceful Americans already found some solutions outlined on this link.

http://www.squidoo.com/Asian-Carp

 

 

 

There was 2 of these carp found in Lake Erie.....over 10 yrs ago however.

 

They are algae sifters or vegetarians so they won't compete directly with esteemed sportfish.

[livinisfishin]

 

This video makes them look half decent for consumption. It is the first part of 3.

[Billy Bob]

We have all heard that we now have a Global Economy so the powers to be thought it's only right to have a Global Fishery....

 

Something tells me this Global crap isn't working out for us...

[TC1OZ]

Might as well make the best of it. So, what's a good bait for Asian carp.

 

Targeting a big game fish that's liable to jump out of the water and slap me sounds challenging.

 

JF

 

 

Bow fishin! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! I CANT WAIT, BRING ON THE CARP!

 

[misfish]

Actually dynamite is a lot of fun to fish with just make sure your not doing it in an aluminum boat and have your feet on the floor or butt on seat it really stings.( disclaimer I may or may not have done this before in my life)

 

 

Art

 

Now thats funny right there.

[misfish]

 

Bow fishin! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! I CANT WAIT, BRING ON THE CARP!

 

 

Our own GBFISHER, is very good at this.GB,wheres those pics?

[canadadude]

doom and gloom, death and disaster..... aren't we tired of these stories yet? The deviation from a projected path does not always end in bad outcomes, it just means a different future occurs. The zebra mussels cleared up the water and the bass population thrived. The down side is the salmonoids suffered which one is more important? Ask the bass fisherman and he cheers...ask the salmon fisherman and it is the worst disaster in decades. The mistakes and victories of man in mixing different species have been documented with some amazing outcomes cold water fish transplants has brought Muskies in limited spring fed places to Virginia. The Florida strains of bass has allowed us to catch record sized bass that have bred with the Northern species and made them a hybrid that are being moved out West as we speak.The Peacock bass from the Amazon basin now can be caught inside of the USA it is all the fun with none of the downsides of back water vacations. Yes their is just as many examples of things going wrong but the truth of the matter in some cases is NO AMOUNT OF PREVENTATIVE WILL STOP THE CARP FROM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES.It takes one instance of someone dumping a can of minnows from the local creek out in the lakes to bypass all of the millions of dollars spent preventing the spread. Not to mention the lost jobs and wages on both sides of the Boarder. The one thing I do know is I personally don't have the solution for this issue but since no one knows what the future holds neither does anyone else. Remember fighting the good fight is an admirable thing just make sure the fight is justified.

 

Art

Another welcome outcome much like the Sea Lamprey.Typical of the Obama administration it takes that idiot 4hrs to decide what pair of pants to put on in the morning.This Asian carp deal is just sad and pathetic,it was so easy to stop this threat.